There are few things as enjoyable as watching your favorite team take to the field and battle it out with an arch rival. It doesn’t matter if you are a football fan, if soccer is your game, or if you get hot under the collar for ice hockey, watching your favorite team in action is superb.
Sports betting can be great fun and betting on games your favorite team are part of seriously spices up the action. Imagine placing a bet at canadasportsbetting.ca before tuning into the action and watching the game unfold before your very eyes. Every kick, pass, tackle, and interception means more because you have money riding on the outcome. Betting on your team is one sure fire way to feel closer to the action.
But what about betting against your favorite team. Should you ever consider doing that? You may be sat there wondering why on Earth anyone would bet against their own team. Why would you want your favorite team to lose? You wouldn’t want them to, you are hoping for a victory, obviously, but there are pros and cons to placing wagers against your team.
Pros Of Betting Against Your Favorite Team
It may see absurd but there are some positives to consider when it comes to betting against your favorite team.
Nobody knows your team better than you. OK, maybe the head coach of your team knows more, but you know the ins and outs of everything going on. You are aware of injuries and potential injuries. It is possible you know about a possible team selection change. You watch your team and know their strengths and, of course, their weaknesses.
Being privy to all this information gives you a significant advantage over a typical punter. You could even have an advantage over the sportsbook, especially if you support a more obscure team.
Bookmakers compile their odds using a variety of factors. Odds compilers take into account key areas such as the position in the table of a team and recent form. They also scour the internet for news of injuries to key players, and look at past results between the two sides facing each other.
It is unlikely, however, that they know every minute detail about a team, even the most popular ones. You may know that a particular player struggles against a certain style of play or opponent. Your team may have looked tired in their last game, or even low on confidence. The bookmaker may have priced your team as -200 favorites but you just know they will not win; you may think they are more like +300. Use your insider information to stack the odds in your favor and make some money.
You should also consider betting against your team to help numb the pain of a potential substantial loss. Perfect example of this was a couple of seasons ago when Leeds United, a British soccer team, faced Derby County in the Championship playoff semi-final second leg.
Leeds led 1-0 from the first leg and avoiding defeat would mean they were one match away from a shot at promotion to the English Premier League. As a fan of Leeds United, I wanted to win more than anything, but still bet against my team. Derby were +400 to progress to the final and I placed a bet on that happening.
Derby went on to win 4-2 on the night and 4-3 on aggregate. I was gutted my favorite team lost, but my sportsbook balance swelled by more than $200, which helped take the string out of the loss.
Cons of Betting Against Your Favorite Team
It is not all sunshine and rainbows when it comes to betting against your favorite team. There are some serious negatives to doing so.
The biggest is a mental issue in that some see betting against your team as being morally wrong. We cheer on our teams through thick and thin, through the good times and the bad, and should always give them our full support. Betting against your team seems like the opposite of this. Some even believe doing this undermines your team and makes you less of a supporter.
I remember getting into a heated argument with a friend over this very subject. He stated that I was not a true fan because I wanted my team to lose. This is, of course, complete garbage because I still fully supported my team and wanted them to win. I would have been delighted to have lost my bet had my team won!
Another major negative when you bet against your favorite team is doing so can take away some of the enjoyment. Betting against your team means you believe they will not win. All sports are better and more enjoyable when you are winning. Going into a game with a negative mindset takes away some of the fun because you are simply waiting to lose. Nobody enjoys losing, do they?
Betting against your team is difficult even if the odds are pouring with value. You are likely to bet less than you would backing your team, which means you miss out on value. Sports betting is difficult enough without leaving value at the bookie’s door.
Should I Bet Against My Favorite team
The golden, million dollar question remains whether or not you should bet against your favourite team. It is a question only you can answer. Only ever bet when you have all the facts and figures available to you. Betting with no information, purely using the available odds, is not a good idea and will not yield a solid result.
As with any bet, weigh up all the pros and cons of placing that wager. Make the bet if the pros outweigh the cons and do not make it if the opposite is true.
Remember that betting against your own team is frowned upon, especially among other supporters. Only you can make the decision whether or not to do it, but sometimes betting against your favorite team is the play to make if you like making money from sports betting.